Prince William and Catherine emerge from hospital to show newborn prince ... - Washington Post

LONDON — Throngs of well-wishers gathered outside St. Mary's Hospital on Tuesday in anticipation of getting their first glimpse of the new heir to the British throne — the newborn and still officially unnamed son of Prince William and the Duchess of Cambridge. The couple were not expected to depart the hospital until at least 6 p.m. local time, or 1 p.m. Eastern, and it remained a possibility that they would remain in the hospital until Wednesday. Duchess Catherine, the former Kate Middleton, gave birth to an 8 pound, 6 ounce baby boy on Monday afternoon, with Prince William in attendance. The proud parents spent the night together in the hospital. "Mother, son and father are all doing well this morning," a spokesman from Kensington Palace, William and Catherine's royal household, said in a statement Tuesday. Weathering heavy bouts of rain, hundreds of Britons, tourists, photographers and broadcasters kept damp vigil outside the hospital as they awaited their golden photo opportunity: the couple, baby in hand, exiting the now familiar brick-façade of the Lindo Wing of St. Mary's Hospital. It is the same wing of the same hospital where Prince Charles and Diana, Princess of Wales, introduced Prince William to the world 31 years ago. "I'm not going to miss this," Margaret Tyler, the 69-year-old London resident known for her home stuffed with more than 10,000 items of royal memorabilia. "When they walk out that door, that will be our history." There were gun salutes by royal artillery companies as a tribute to the birth, and bells at Westminster Abbey rang out in a celebratory chorus. British newspapers printed souvenir editions, and the cheeky, top-selling tabloid The Sun changed its masthead to read "The Son" in the new prince's honor. Meanwhile, congratulations continued to pour in from foreign governments, suggesting the soft power the royal family lends Britain around the globe. Even Iran – which has dubbed Britain the "little Satan" – offered its congratulations to "Her Majesty, the Queen of England, and also the Crown Prince on the birth." "This is a source of happiness," foreign ministry spokesman Abbas Araqchi told reporters in Teheran, according to Agence France Press. After two centuries of monarchy dominated by imposing women — Queen Victoria and the reigning Queen Elizabeth II — the birth of the little prince heralded the coming of an era of British kings. Should the new prince live a long and healthy life, and barring unforeseen events, he will follow his grandfather, Prince Charles, and his father to the halls of Buckingham Palace. The birth at 4:24 p.m. local time Monday — but kept secret for a good four hours — amounted to the ultimate showdown between British tradition and the 24-hour news cycle, as well as a rare nod to modernity by the world's highest-profile monarchy. Initially, an elegant official announcement delivered from the hospital by royal courier and posted behind the gates of Buckingham Palace was to be the first word to the world. But apparently concerned about being beaten by social media, and with press in a feeding frenzy, the palace opted to scoop itself instead. The official announcement was posted as billed. But a speedier electronic press release — along with a tweet — were used in a last-minute decision to disseminate the news more "quickly" and "simply," as the palace put it. Those are two words not often used to describe the British royal family. Shortly after the birth, Charles issued a statement reflecting on "grandparenthood," calling it "a unique moment in anyone's life" and saying he was "enormously proud and happy." Prime Minister David Cameron called the arrival of the new prince "an important moment in the life of our nation." In Washington, President Obama said in a statement: "Given the special relationship between us, the American people are pleased to join with the people of the United Kingdom as they celebrate the birth of the young prince." The prince is set to be a million-dollar baby — or a $383 million baby, to be more precise. That's the figure that Britain's Center for Retail Research estimated would be the short-term economic windfall from the birth, ranging from sales of grandmotherly official teacups to a boom in champagne and beer. Already, a photo of the duchess leaving a store with a white basket sent sales of similar items soaring. Ditto after a rumor that she had chosen a sky-blue stroller. "The baby world has been waiting for this," said Olivia Robinson, creative director of Mamas & Papas, a British baby outfitter. "Grandparents, mothers, are going to be watching. The high chair. The clothes. They are going to want them." In a celebratory nation, the birth nevertheless left a flicker of disappointment for some longing to see a princess break one of the loftiest glass ceilings — the one towering above British royal heirs. Under a change that became law this year, a firstborn girl would not have been outranked by a younger brother. via Top Stories - Google News http://news.google.com/news/url?sa=t&fd=R&usg=AFQjCNHCYSHpAGNZIk-kM1N9w53wW5l8Vg&url=http://www.washingtonpost.com/world/europe/royal-baby-may-leave-hospital-with-prince-william-duchess-catherine-tuesday-evening/2013/07/23/e8b1d3cc-f397-11e2-aa2e-4088616498b4_story.html

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